Pathways to Success: President Haynes Participates in San Marcos Education Forum

Pathways to Success: President Haynes Participates in San Marcos Education ForumIn September, President Haynes joined City of San Marcos Mayor Desmond, Palomar College President Bob Deegan, and San Marcos Unified School District (SMUSD) Superintendent Kevin Holt for an evening at The McMahan House to discuss the important role of public education in the future of San Marcos and the region. The forum's theme of "Pathways to Success" resonated well with the partnerships CSUSM has made to ensure that students arrive at the University prepared and leave with the skills they need to be successful in the rapidly changing global environment."We are reaching out to the K-12 community. We are striving to make sure that young people know they have pathways to our University, and that the pathways are accessible and affordable," stated President Haynes, referring to PACE, a joint program of SMUSD and CSUSM guaranteeing admission to all district students continuously enrolled in the district from 9th to 12th grade who meet CSU entrance requirements. Similar agreements have been signed with other school districts that have high diversity and low high school graduation rates, including the San Pasqual Academy for foster youth, two counties for Foster Youth, and a local Native American tribe."We know these are the kind of students who will have the tools for academic success, and we know that if these students are not prepared, or if they drop out of high school - that we all pay in many ways," continued Haynes.CSUSM is also creating pathways to college for military veterans and active duty members, and reaching out to foster youth - a population with one of the lowest success rates for matriculating to and graduating from a university, as well as students interested in the fields of science, technology, mathematics, and nursing."[These] pathways are imperative if we are to prepare our students for leadership roles and serve the needs of this vibrant and diverse region."